I Now Pronounce You
by nescient
Summary: Maybe the Doctor still has a few things left to try.


Title: I Now Pronounce You  
  
Author: Samantha Wilkinson  
  
Email: sammie@theworld.com  
  
Rating: G  
  
Disclaimer: The Doctor and associated properties belong to the BBC. Charlotte Pollard belongs to Big Finish.  
  
Notes: This was inspired by a recent interview with Big Finish author Jim Mortimore at Outpost Gallifrey (http://www.gallifreyone.com/) in which he discusses a since-dropped Doctor/Charley marriage subplot in the next run of McGann stories. I wondered how this might happen while staying true to the characters.  
  
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"In a thousand years, is there anything you haven't done, Doctor?"  
  
"Well, I've never gone gel-surfing on Kawolas. Must get around to that one of these days. And I've never climbed Mt. Varatu on Timuraya to see the glitter trees. Or visited the Gnrch system, where they're said to have the finest fruits in the galaxy. Oh, Charley, there are so many marvels in the universe, and not enough time for even a Time Lord to experience them all."  
  
"I'm just grateful for what I've managed to see so far in my short, human lifespan. Sometimes I think about what my life would have been like if I hadn't stowed away on the R101. I'd be sitting around the house bored stiff while my parents pressured me to marry a young man of the 'right' class. I can't imagine anything more tedious."  
  
"Look on the bright side, Charley. You'd be experiencing something I haven't. I've never been married."  
  
"Really? So if I asked you to marry me, I'd be the first one?"  
  
"Oh, no. I've been engaged a number of times, but it's always been the result of a misunderstanding. Very embarrassing, trying to extract yourself from the engagement without hurting the other... being's feelings."  
  
"But why haven't you gotten married, Doctor? Haven't you ever wanted to?"  
  
"Charley, Time Lords don't marry."  
  
"So? You've done lots of other things Time Lords supposedly don't do."  
  
"Yes, but..."  
  
"Marry me, Doctor. It'll be a new adventure for both of us. Something for us to explore together."  
  
"I don't really think that's a good idea, Charley. Besides, don't humans generally marry for love?"  
  
"I suppose so. So what? I love you, Doctor. You've said you love me."  
  
"I do, Charley. You're my best friend. But..."  
  
"But nothing. What better basis for a marriage than deep friendship? People have married for far flimsier reasons."  
  
"But I'm so much older than you."  
  
"True, but in many ways you're still a little boy. Maybe because we humans have such short lives compared to you, we have to grow up faster. I suppose next you're going to point out that I'm going to age and die while you stay young. I don't care about that, Doctor, not if you don't. I just want to be with you. The past year has been amazing. Walking on alien planets, meeting different species, fighting evil. But most of all, just knowing you, Doctor. You teach me, you infuriate me, you make me laugh, you make me feel safe, and all sorts of other things I can't put into words. I want to spend the rest of my life traveling with you."  
  
"I want you to stay with me, too, Charley, but that doesn't mean we should get married."  
  
"I... Sometimes I want to be closer to you, Doctor. As well as I know you, there's so much that I, well, don't know about you. There's so much that I want to share with you about me. But no matter how close we get, there's still a distance between us."  
  
"Oh, Charley... I don't know what to say."  
  
"Another new experience for you."  
  
"Yes, yes. Very funny. Think about this, Charley, we're not even the same species. For one thing, that means there's only the tiniest of possibilities we could ever have children. I can't believe I'm even talking about this seriously."  
  
"I never wanted children, Doctor. But I do want you. I"m not going to beg, but at least think about it. Please?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Yes, you'll think about it?"  
  
"No, yes I'll marry you. Yes, yes, yes!"  
  
"Really? Oh, Doctor!"  
  
"Charley, I'm happy too, but could you perhaps squeeze a little less tightly?"  
  
"I'm sorry. I'm just so thrilled. I never expected. Why, Doctor?"  
  
"'Why, Doctor' asks the lady who was so eloquently pleading her case just a moment ago. Because I love you, Charley. Because I want to be closer to you, too. Because I could never resist a new challenge."  
  
"It all comes back to your curiousity. I should have known."  
  
"Now that you know my weakness, what are you going to do with me?"  
  
"I'll let you know when I'm ready. But I promise to use this knowledge only for good."  
  
"I have every confidence, Miss Pollard, that I am in the best of hands."  
  
"Miss Pollard? Oh dear, what will my name be? I can hardly be called Mrs. Doctor, now can I? Mrs. Pollard?"  
  
"You'll always be my Charley."  
  
"Your Charley. I could get used to that."  
  
"Well, seeing as how you're now stuck with me for the rest of your life, that's just as well."  
  
"Thank you very much, Doctor. Hey! Where're you off to?"  
  
"There's no time to waste, Charley. We've got places to go, people to see, and a wedding to plan. The logistics alone... How're we going to get all our guests in the same time period? Do you think Alistair would be my best man? Hmm, do I have to ask your father's permission to marry you?"  
  
"Oh no, Doctor. Couldn't we just elope?"  
  
"Absolutely not. If we're going to do this, we're going to do this right. Hurry up, Charley. We're getting married!" 


End file.
